Partial denture and removable bridge.



w L. 110mm. v PARTIAL DBNTUBE AND REMOVABLE BRIDGE. Y

APPLICATION PILBDHAIR. 6? 1914.

128,876. Pater med, Feb;.1'6, 1915.

ar/06762 52 JWZO,

WILLIS L. HOUGH, 0F LACONIA. NEW HAMPSHIRE.

PARTIAL DENTURE AND REMOVABLE BRIDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. i915.

ppication filed March 6 1914. Serial No. 822.960.

T all whom. if may concern Be it known that I, WiLLis L. Hocon, of Laconia, in the county of Belknap and State of New Hampshire. haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Partial Dentures and Removable Bridges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to dentistry, especially of the character known as removable bridgework or partial dentures.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide an improved coupling or connection to enable partial dentures or bridges to be removed or replaced without requiring the services of a dentist.

Another object is to provide an improved coupling of this character which may be tightened or adjusted by the patient without going to the dentist.

- Another object is to provide an improved coupling or connection, the member which is carried by the plate or bridge to be 'removed, being so constructed that it can be easily removed from the rubber material of the plate by heating. and then a new one easily re-connectcd with the rubber material without requiring re-vulcanization 0f the plate.

device of the character described which will allow for settlim of the plate to place. as themucous membrane or the gums yield.-

To these ends tlie invention consists in the illustrating bridgework adapted for conncction with the. lower jaw of a patient which retains eight natural teeth: Figs. '2 and 3 are perspective views of portions of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, on a larger scale' and Fig. at is a perspective view of the female member of the coupling or con-- nection, considerably enlarged. The same reference characters represent the same parts in all of the views.

'12 and 12 indicate two plates or base members which may be made of the usual kind of rubber material employed in this Work. said plates carrying artificial molars, thetwo plates being connected by a bar or ire extending across on the lingual side of Another object is to provide an improved eight natural teeth of the patient. The two end teeth of the series of natural ones are indicated at H and 14. i

The female member of the coupling which is adapted to be soldered to a gold crownof the natural tooth 14 or 14, comprises a back plate 15 bent to form flanges 16 between which and the back plate are recesses 17. This member is so formed, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, as to present a tapering socket including the recesses 17. and a tapering mssageway between the edges of the flanges 1G. The other member of the coupling comprises a loop 18 of wire which is substantially ear-shaped the portions of thewire which constitute the ends of the loop being bent as at 19, and the two ends of the wire presenting substantially parallel shank portions .20 adapted to 'be \Yhen the plates 12 1:2, with the artificial teeth carried thereby are to be connected with the natural teeth l-l. 1%. the two members 18 are engaged with the female members by a sliding movement. the contracted portions of the loops being pushed downwardly into the tapering recesses of the female members until the tapering sides of the loop bind into the recesses 11'. During this movement the sides of the angular portions 19 slide down between the edges of the flanges 16. Preferably the twoparts of the coupling are so proportioned that the sides of the portions 151 will bind in the narrower portion of the slot or passageway between the two flanges 16. 1G simultaneously with the binding of the wider portions of. the loop 18 between the walls of the recesses it. Of course. a reverse movement will readily separatethe plates from the natural teeth 14. 14.

The fact that the loop 18 is capable of slight yielding or anti-action. enables the plate or plates to settle to place. as the muheating the wire sufliciently to soften the rubber so that the said member can be pulled out. Then by heating a new one, and rubbing it over some gutta percha, the shanks of the new one can be secured in the recess from which the former one was removed. I do not, of course, limit myself to this particular way of substituting a new member for a worn one, since the new one may be cemented in position if desired. In either case, however, no -re-vulcanizing of the plate is necessary. v

Owing to the fact that the connection of the members with each other is effected by a'wedging action, the plate, or plates, or denture, can be easily removed or re-placed, and when in place held very tightly and still with some possibility of the plate or plates following-any recession of the gums.

Adjustment to overcome looseness due to wear or other causes can be readily effected by the patient, without the services of a dentist, by simply inserting a knife or other suitable instrument in the loop 18 and pry ing the sides thereof apart sutliciently to insure a tight connection when the two members are coupled together.

Obviously the coupling may be applied to other forms of dentures or bridgework than illustrated, according to the needs of the patient, and the number and kind of artificial teeth will be according to such needs.

Having now described my invention what I claim is Devices for separably connecting dentures or bridgework, comprising two members one of which has a back portion to be attached to a natural tooth and a slotted front and a beveled recess between said back and front, the other member consisting of a loop of wire with its .free ends substantially parallel to each other and at an angle to the loop, the loop being adapted to be expanded to increase its width.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIS L. HOUGH.

Witnesses I Fnto A. Yonxc,

HERBERT M. Turns. 

